Serves 4-6
Ingredients
The fish:
800g of firm white fish, such as snapper or Aquna Murray Cod deboned and skinned
750ml Mandolé Orchard Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
A few peppercorns
The pie:
75g unsalted butter
75g plain flour
1 tbsp almond oil
1 large onion finely chopped
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped
250g butter puff pastry
A little beaten egg for glazing
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C.
2. Place the fish fillets in a pan and add the milk, vegetables, bay leaf and peppercorns. Place over a low heat. As soon as the milk comes to a simmer, switch off the heat and cover the pan. The fish will continue to cook in the hot milk. After about 5 minutes, it should be just cooked through; if not, leave it in the hot milk for a little longer then drain in a sieve placed over a bowl, reserving the milk. Discard the vegetables, bay leaf and peppercorns.
3. Now make a béchamel sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and stir well to make a roux. Cook gently for a couple of minutes, stirring every few seconds, then gently whisk in a third of the milk from the fish. Add another third of the milk, whisking all the time, and then the final third, so that you end up with a smooth, creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper, turn the heat down low and cook very gently for 2 minutes.
4. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes or so. Add the curry-flavoured onion to the béchamel, then stir in the flaked fish and the coriander. Taste the sauce and add more salt, pepper or curry powder if you think it is needed.
5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface and cut it to fit the top of the dish. Pour the filling into the dish. Dampen the rim of the dish, lift the pastry over the filling and press down the pastry edges to seal. Brush with a little beaten egg and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and puffed and the fish sauce is bubbling underneath. Serve with a selection of buttered greens.
Tootie x
